TINTON FALLS - The Falcons were flying high at home on Saturday as they got back to their winning ways by beating Raritan, 16-6.

The Rockets scored first in the game on their second possession to take an early lead. After a pass interference call on fourth-and-10 gave them a fresh set of downs, Mike Fiore took advantage and ran one in from 16 yards out.

The quick and hard-hitting defense of Monmouth would make sure that those points would be all they gave up.

Raritan would hold onto a 6-0 lead until midway through the second quarter. After Ricky Voss made a circus catch to get the Falcons down to the 1-yard line, he was rewarded on the next play as he plunged into the end zone for a short touchdown run. This would give Monmouth a 7-6 lead and they would never look back.

The teams went back and forth with turnovers and punts until the third quarter when Eli Rife would provide a spark. Raritan was forced to punt after an incomplete pass, and Rife corralled it at the 15-yard line, 85 yards later he was in the end zone.

Raritan was led by Philip Buccine who finished with 65 yards on 14 carries.

Three who mattered

Ian Fitzgerald: The senior led the Falcons in yards and carries. He finished with 158 yards on the ground on 20 carries.

Ricky Voss: The senior proved to be a force on both sides of the ball. Voss finished with the only touchdown by Monmouth’s offense and two sacks on defense.

Mike Fiore: The sophomore back got scoring started with touchdown run in the first quarter. He would contribute 58 yards on the ground and hauled in three catches.

Turning point

With 5:21 left in the third quarter and both offenses stagnant, Rife took a punt 85-yards to the house and swung momentum completely on Monmouth’s side. The score would give them a 13-6 lead and give them a little breathing room.

Observations

Monmouth’s swarming defense: The Falcons held Raritan to six points and sacked the quarterback four times. Yards were hard to come by for the Rockets as they finished with 112 total.

Falcon’s depth in the running game: Fitzgerald led Monmouth with 20 carries but he was not the only one to get work in the game. Eight different players took handoffs in this game for the Falcons.

Monmouth head coach Larry Nikola on defensive effort: “The defense is fast and hard-hitting. They’ve been playing like that all year long. We knew that we were in for a tough game and I told the guys no regrets, we don’t get any of this back. After the week of practice, I knew we were prepared.”

Monmouth defensive coordinator Charlie Diskin on adjustments: “We were just trying to adjust to what they were showing offensively. A lot of times they’re thinking one and with our adjustments we were able to shut down big plays that were tried by a good team.”

What’s next

Raritan will host Matawan on Friday, and Monmouth will travel to take on Red Bank Regional.